Town of Chester resolution opposing NY SAFE and affirming the second amendment

Resolution in Support of the Second Amendment and in Opposition to the Process Utilized to Enact the NY-SAFE Act and Portions Thereof

WHEREAS, the Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms is guaranteed as an Individual Right under the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and under the Constitution of the State of New York, and;

WHEREAS, the Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms for defense of Life, Liberty, and Property is regarded as an Inalienable Right by the People of The Town of Chester, Orange County, New York, and:

WHEREAS, the People of the Town of Chester, Orange County, New York, derive economic benefit from all safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting, and shooting conducted within Chester using all types of firearms allowable under the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York as well as the Constitution and Laws of the State of New York, and;

WHEREAS, the Chester Town Board, has been elected to represent the People of Chester and have taken an Oath to uphold the United States Constitution and the Constitution of the State of New York, and;

WHEREAS, the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate, and Governor of New York State have been elected by the People of the State of New York and have sworn an Oath to uphold the Constitutions and Laws of the United States and the State of New York, and;

WHEREAS, legislation passed by the New York Assembly and Senate and signed into law by Governor Cuomo bans the possession and use of firearms now employed by individual citizens of the Town of Chester, for defense of Life, Liberty and Property and would ban the possession and use of firearms now employed for safe forms of firearms recreation, hunting and shooting conducted within the Town of Chester, Orange County, New York, and;

WHEREAS, the legislation was passed in such haste without opportunity for the public or even members of the Legislature voting on it to truly understand its implications, and;

WHEREAS, the Chester Town Board believes there are many other less intrusive means available, other than rash, confusing, and inarticulately drafted firearms laws that would effectively, control, manage, and reduce violence in our society, such as, mental health reforms, anti-bullying programs for schools, enforcement of existing firearms laws to the fullest extent possible, and proper psychological counseling for those in need or who request it; NOW,

THEREFORE, IT BE AND IS HEREBY RESOLVED that the Chester Town Board does hereby oppose the process utilized in the enactment of the law commonly called the NY-SAFE Act and portions thereof for the following reasons:

– The law was enacted without any time for public review and was negotiated entirely behind closed doors;

– The law bans lawfully acquired personal property without any evidence that the same will make society safer;

– The law arbitrarily chooses the number of rounds permitted to be loaded in a magazine without any recognition that such magazines are often not even manufactured for the relevant weapons;

– The law actually places law enforcement at a disadvantage, making our streets less safe;

– The law criminalizes inadvertent errors by persons who lawfully purchased magazines and load it with too many rounds;

– The law requires a background check on those who simply purchase ammunition for target practice of hunting; and be it further

RESOLVED, that the Chester Town Board hereby re-affirms its support of and for the 2nd Amendment to the United States Constitution; and be it further